The food industry by-products such as olive oil processing solid waste are an important source of natural
bioactive compounds. The aim of the present work was to extract bioactive compounds from olive pomace using
supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and to investigate the viability of their encapsulation in a food-stuff carrier
as a way of protection from antioxidant properties losses.
Several supercritical extractions were performed at a 250 bar and a 40 ºC with and without pre-treatments and
levels of moisture content were also tested. Yields between 8 and 12% (w/w) were achieved and fatty acid
content, sterols and total poliphenolic compounds were evaluated in all supercritical extracts. Since there are a
strong correlation between antioxidant activity and poliphenolic compounds, the two most representative phenols,
hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, were identified and quantified. Antioxidant activity was also investigated using ORAC
and HORAC methods.
Extraction of bioactive compounds from olive pomace in soxhlet apparatus were also carried out for control and
yields of 13% (w/w) were achieved.
Encapsulation of the most bioactive extract achieved was performed by spray-drying using inulin as the wall
material and antioxidant activity was evaluated.